Sounding the alarm on racial discrimination ended my professional journey - Burrell

Important note: This article contains descriptions of racially offensive comments and behaviour

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby led his professional journey to an premature end.

In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

Then 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I have absolutely had to end my career because of what went on," he told reporters.

"I really hoped to continue playing, of course I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were investigations going on.

"That was challenging - I had to just accept the outcome and understand that this whole process is a lot more important than me."

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but said it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told media he also encountered discrimination within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his first game in February 2014.

"I have had several traumatic experiences within the national team," he stated.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

Racism had become accepted in team environments, in Burrell's experience.

"This is something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

"Over a extended period you just begin to believe that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and told him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's revelations had led to "a deeper look at the culture within the professional level and to the implementation of an action plan for the elite level."

"We has placed significant focus on inclusion and inclusion in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"The organization are continuing work with teams and stakeholders in the professional game to work for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and PWR club now has in-person education on building welcoming cultures, with its success tracked via individual reports and feedback.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to intervene and protect others from harmful conduct.

"You should be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.

"We know it has had this impact on you and finished your playing days, but in our view, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's dad Geoff died shortly after the production of the film, and his sister died earlier this year.

Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more open.

His 12 Foundation aims to reach young people in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive both on the field with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My personal motivations are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the game and if others is prepared to share their experience then I'll continue to fight that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.

"We have an responsibility to make the sport as great as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more comfortable fellow players will become about sharing their own stories as well.

"I grab the bull by the horns and continue bearing this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.

"There are a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of poverty and I sincerely think that the sport has the potential to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."